Transferential pin

ABSTRACT

A vehicle mounted tower pivoted on the vehicle by two pivot joints spaced along the length of the tower and alternately engageable during the swinging of the tower between horizontal and vertical positions by a hydraulic cylinder extending between the vehicle chassis and the tower. Alternate use of spaced pivot points reduces the loading on the lift cylinder and improves angular control in drilling operations.

United States Patent [1 1 Blecken Dec. 18, 1973 1 1 TRANSFERENTIAL PIN 2,790,62 2 4/1957 Priest 52 119 x [75] Inventor: William E. Blecken, Seattle, Wash.

Primary Examiner-John E. Murtagh [73] Assgneewig jg ggg is gflg AttorneyDavid w. Tibbott et al.

[22] Filed: June 29,1972

57 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 267,548 1 A vehicle mounted tower pivoted on the vehicle by two pivot joints spaced along the length of the tower 2 {g 5 :3222 and alternately engageable during the swlngmg of the [58] 119 120 tower between horizontal and vertical positions by a 52 l27,254/139 hydraulic cylinder extending between the vehicle chassis and the tower. Alternate use of spaced pivot [56] References Cited points reduces the loading on the lift cylinder and improves angular control in drilling operations. UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.711.803 6/1955 Hurst 52/1 19 -X 5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures TRANSFERENTIAL PIN This invention relates to vehicle mounted tower structures. More particularly, this invention is a new and improved transportable drilling and mining tower wherein transferential pin joints improve control and reduce loading when the tower structure is raised or lowered.

Large portable tower structures used for drilling machines in mining operations are carried in a horizontal position atop vehicles that may be nine feet tall. They are pivoted about a fixed point about five feet from the lower end of the tower by a lift cylinder which applies the rotating force toward the center of the tower. During rotation, the moment arm decreases and the loading on the cylinder increases undesirably. Furthermore, in positioning for angular drilling, as the moment arm decreases a small movement of the lift cylinder is magnified at the drilling (lower) end of the tower. An auxiliary holding strut may be provided as a rigid link to fix the tower in its drilling angle. The lift cylinder would thereby be relieved of bearing a load during drillingoperation. The objects of this invention are to reduce the loading on the lift cylinder and to increase the accuracy and improve control in angular drilling by providing a plurality of transferential pivot points about which the tower structure may be rotated. A lower pivot means is used during drilling (both vertical and angular) and an upper pivot means is used when the tower structure is lowered to the horizontal position over the machinery housed on the main frame of the vehicle for transportation. During raising or lowering, the tower load is transferred from one pivot point to another on the main frame of the carrier. Each pivot means consists of a pin and a latching device which receives and engages the pin. One is fixed to the carrier main frame and the other is mounted on the tower structure.

DESCRIPTION The invention as well as its many advantages may be further understood by reference to the following de tailed description and drawings in which:

FIG. I is a side elevational view of an embodiment of a tower, according to the invention, in the horizontal position on a vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the FIG. I tower partially raised so that both upper and lower pins are engaged in the respective pivots;

FIG. 3 shows a tower in the upright position with the lower pin joint engaged in the pivot;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlargement of the pin mounting on the tower structure;

FIG. 5 is a section taken through the pin mounting of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged elevational view of a pivot;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the pivot in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged elevational view of an actuating cylinder and lever.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings. Referring to the drawings and particularly FIG. 1, 2, and 3 a vehicle mounted tower, generally indicated by 10, is seen to comprise a tower framework 12 and a lift cylinder 14, one end of which is pivotally mounted on the vehicle bed 16. The other end of the cylinder is joined to the tower by a hinged connector 18. Rigidly affixed to the tower near its lower end is a lower pin joint 20. Positioned intermediate the hinged connector and the lower pin joint is a rigidly fixed upper pin joint 21. Secured to the bed of the vehicle are a lower pivot 26 and an upper pivot 27 adapted to receive the lower and upper pin joints respectively. For better balance and rigidity, the same mechanical and structural elements may be provided on the left and right side of the tower.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlargements of the pin joint structure which show it to be comprised of plates 22 projecting from the tower framework 12 and joined by pin 24. It is to be understood that this feature of the invention is not limited to such a structure as the pin may just as readily comprise a transverse member of the tower framework. FIGS. 6 and 7 are elevational and plan enlargements of a lower pivot 26, which comprises two jaw plates 28 with a recess for receiving the pin 24. The jaw plates may be an integral unit having a base for mounting on a rigid structure by bolting or welding. A latch plate 30 is pivotally mounted between the jaw plates and fixed to a latch plate shaft 32 which connects latch plates on both sides of the machine. The latch plate has a ramp surface 34 and a bearing face 36. FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the pivot further showing the latch plate shaft actuating lever 42. The lever is keyed or welded to the latch plate shaft 32 and is connected to a safety spring 38 and an actuating cylinder 40. The upper pivot 27 is similarly constructed.

In operation the tower is transported in the horizontal position as shown in FIG. 1. At the work site, it is raised by extending the lift cylinder 14, while the upper pin joint 21 is secured in the upper pivot 27 by the bearing face 36 of the latch plate 30. As the lower pin joint 20 approaches the lower pivot 26, the pin 24 slidably engages the ramp surface 34 of the latch plate 30, rotating the latch plate and its shaft 32 counterclockwise to the open position. When the pin 24 is nested in the recesses of the jaw plates 28, the safety spring 38 rotates the latch plate clockwise so that the bearing face 36 positively secures the pin 24 in the recesses. Positive locking of each pin is maintained by the actuating cylinder 40 and the tension spring 38. When a pin 24 is not engaged with a pivot (26 or 27), the corresponding actuating cylinder 40 is depressurized and the auxiliary tension spring 38 mechanically holds the latch plate 30 in closed position.

The upper pivot has a similar arrangement and when the actuating cylinder 40 overcomes the tension in the safety spring 38, shaft 32 and latch plate 30 is rotated counterclockwise to the open position so that the pin 24 may be disengaged from the pivot 26. The lift cylinder then rotates the tower about the lower pivot to the desired angle or vertical position. Because the lower pivot point 26 is located further away from the line of force action of the lift cylinder 14 than the upper pivot 27, less loading is imposed on the lift cylinder when the tower structure is rotated about the lower pivot.

For angle drilling, it is advantageous to have the lower end close to the ground. Better control is achieved when, at any changein angle of the tower, the drill rod enters the ground at nearly the same location. Also, it facilitates the operators view from a fixed control station located near the front of the tower. Further, maximum drill penetration can be obtained from a fixed drill rod length, because there is less loss above the ground due to slope length. In addition, as the upper pivot joint provides a convenient location for lowering the tower to horizontal when transporting the drill machine from one site to another and enabling the tower to clear the machinery on the main frame, no separate detachments or disassemblies are required, thereby saving on down time.

Obviously the arrangement of the features of the invention is not limited to that shown in the drawings, as the pivot pin means may be mounted on the carrier surface and the pivot pin bearing surface means affixed to the tower structure. Also, more than two pivot means and more than one transfer may be employed. To insure against simultaneous disengagement of upper and lower latch plates, an interlock means may be provided in the hydraulic system feeding the actuating cylinders 40 by use of limit switches. To provide structural rigidity and relieve the lift cylinder frombearing loads during drilling operations, an auxiliary holding strut 44 may be pivoted on a bracket 46 and slidably engaged in a sleeve 48 that is fixed to a gusset plate 50 on the tower frame 12. Insertion of pin means through mating holes 52 in the strut and sleeve would permit locking the tower in position.

l claim:

1. A tower assembly, comprising:

an elongated tower; 1

a first extensible power means, pivotally coupled at one end thereof to a median point along said tower, for moving said tower relative to a platform, said first power means having means for pivotally coupling the other 'end thereof to a platform; and

a plurality of pivot means cooperative with said first power means and serving as pivot axes for the rotation of said tower relative to said platform, said pivot means having their axes offset from eachother generally along the length of the said tower and being disengageable,

whereby the pivot axis of said tower during its movement between horizontal and vertical positions can be transferred to the different axes by said pivot means; wherein the-pivot means comprise a pivot pin means and a pivot pin locking means having jaw plates with a recess adapted to receive the pin means, a latch plate mounted on a shaft, the shaft pivotally mounted through the jaw plates whereby the latch plate will securely capture a pivot pin means when said pin means is inserted in the recesses of the jaw plates.

2. The tower of claim I wherein the latch plate is rigidly fixed to the shaft and said shaft is rotated by an actuating means.

3. The tower of claim 2 wherein the actuating means comprises an actuating lever rigidly mounted on the shaft and a second extensible power means connected at one end by pin means to the lever, the other end adaptable for mounting to a rigid surface, whereby rotational movement may be imparted to the shaft.

4. The tower of claim 3 in which the actuating means further comprises a spring means attached to the lever to prevent accidental disengagement of the latch plate.

5. The tower of claim 4 further comprising an interlock means to prevent simultaneous disengagement of the upperand lower latch plates. 

1. A tower assembly, comprising: an elongated tower; a first extensible power means, pivotally coupled at one end thereof to a median point along said tower, for moving said tower relative to a platform, said first power means having means for pivotally coupling the other end thereof to a platform; and a plurality of pivot means cooperative with said first power means and serving as pivot axes for the rotation of said tower relative to said platform, said pivot means having their axes offset from each other generally along the length of the said tower and being disengageable, whereby the pivot axis of said tower during its movement between horizontal and vertical positions can be transferred to the different axes by said pivot means; wherein the pivot means comprise a pivot pin means and a pivot pin locking means having jaw plates with a recess adapted to receive the pin means, a latch plate mounted on a shaft, the shaft pivotally mounted through the jaw plates whereby the latch plate will securely capture a pivot pin means when said pin means is inserted in the recesses of the jaw plates.
 2. The tower of claim 1 wherein the latch plate is rigidly fixed to the shaft and said shaft is rotated by an actuating means.
 3. The tower of claim 2 wherein the actuating means comprises an actuating lever rigidly mounted on the shaft and a second extensible power means connected at one end by pin means to the lever, the other end adaptable for mounting to a rigid surface, whereby rotational movement may be imparted to the shaft.
 4. The tower of claim 3 in which the actuating means further comprises a spring means attached to the lever to prevent accidental disengagement of the latch plate.
 5. The tower of claim 4 further comprising an interlock means to prevent simultaneous disengagement of the upper and lower latch plates. 